Taos Characters, Reality Based Issues, And More
Characters And Issues
By Bill Whaley
At the County Commission meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 4, Chairman Gabriel “The Good” Romero opened the meeting by asking for a moment of silence for “Huevo Dave” Salazar, an eccentric character, who recently got whacked in a median on local streets. Huevo Dave, unkempt dark hair, tall and slender, always wore short pants (winter or summer) and frequently frowned, which frown concealed a sly smile. He could be seen at the old Blinking Light intersection and around the Plaza or as far away as Santa Fe as he made his rounds.
Huevo Dave might be a stand in for other characters like newsies Paulie and Felipe, and Doncito, who wore a badge and a fedora. Some say Doncito is the inspiration for Ed Sandoval’s recurring figure in his paintings. Sandoval himself, aka Zorro, who paints out in front of World Cup each day between sunbeams or snowflakes might qualify today as a local character. And I remember Rosemary Baca, she who smoked and walked. We shall all miss Huevo Dave. We hear Brother Hawk, who walks between Arroyo Seco and the Town, has been laid up.
Call these local characters Taos Treasures, too. At last night’s Taos News forum for mayoral candidates, the sign man, Jeff Northrup, handed out a six page pink sheet, indicting, mostly town politicians. Jeff’s summary was remarkable for its accuracy and strong opinions, whether one agrees with them or not. Like Huevo Dave, the Sign Man has some big cojones. That’s why Chief Weaver stood next to Jeff during the forum, lest Jeff offend The Taos News’s Chris Baker with another outrageous speech about the First Amendment.
Ag Issues
County Assessor Darlene “The Incredible Shrinking Woman” Vigil responded at the Commission meeting to charges in the media that she alone was responsible for the recent rise in taxes on Ag land. Allegations that the County raised taxes are quite simply false. The State Department of Tax and Rev mandates that property be taxed according to market rates. The Assessor is required to follow state taxation and revenue guidelines regarding periodic reassessments and the market-driven appraisals of the County as a whole. As I remember the state mandates that the County must be assessed at 80% of its market value. If a property tax break is given to a class or group, then other property owners will be taxed to make up the difference. Basically, the Assessor’s office interprets the market and tries to implement the rates fairly and equitably among some 70,000 properties in Taos County, according to Vigil.The state’s DFA sets the market rates.
Ag land qualifies for lower tax rates if used during the last three years for producing crops or livestock. Irrigated land, land used to raise sheep, goats, and cattle or orchards and crops qualifies for an Ag exemption. But Ag use must be the primary purpose of the land, not merely “incidental.” Apple trees along the driveway don’t qualify. Horses, unless used for breeding stock, don’t qualify. Talk to the assessor’s office about minimums.
Due to drought some land has lost or is in danger of losing Ag status because of non-use. What to do?
Palemon Martinez likened the situation to water rights and a state mandated policy passed in 1959 and legitimized in the mdi sixties re: “use it or lose it.” Before the Office of State Engineer can “take” water rights, he must “notify” the owner to “use it or lose it.” Palemon suggested a similar policy or law should be instituted by the state legislature to protect agriculture culture in general.
In today’s environment, wherein food security and sustainability are much talked about, local acequias, livestock, farming and gardening are seen as antidotes to corporate America’s privatization and commodification of food and water resources. Hence the emphasis by one mayoral candidate (Barrone) and at least two council candidates (Hahn and Cantu) on revitalizing acequias within the Town of Taos limits.
If you have questions about Ag status on your property, visit Darlene, Bobby, and Nick at the County Assessors’ office. They are there to not to hurt but to help Taosenos.
HCH
Commissioner Tom Blankenhorn and Finance Chief Leandro Cordova reported to commissioners about Holy Cross Hospital (HCH). According to the report, the bleeding has been stanched at HCH. Last year the County turned over $750,000 to HCH from a 1/8th GRT hospital tax and another $750,000 from its general fund for a total of $1.5 million. The County cut costs for operations and employees in order to help the hospital with funds for a federal match.
Now there’s a new plan being supported by the association of counties at the legislature, which if passed, could result in a $6 million supplement for the hospital, given the federal match. Since HCH benefits from a 1/8th GRT now, as well as a 1/16th Medicaid GRT, now, the County is cautiously optimistic that revenue aimed at stabilizing HCH is sufficient. This situation may change, due to the legislature or Governor.
Command Center
The County also extended an invitation to the Town to join the new Command Center at the Complex, a facility originally designed for that purpose, which already includes the necessary circuitry and concrete-steel rebar reinforcements in the walls. Chairman Romero mentioned that the County had invited the Town to join in moving E911 and its Police Department to the Complex during the original design and build process for the 138,000 square foot Complex process but were ignored.
Apparently, the security experts from the USFS were favorably impressed and even asked the County’s emergency manager and fire chief if the Command Center portion of the extant Complex could be expanded for that purpose. The potential for expansion was included in the plans, according to County Manager Steve Archuleta and the Commissioners.
According to the County’s offer, the Town was told it would save current rent of $33,000, electricity charges of $24,000, and overhead of about another $30,000 if it joined the County at its E911-Dispatch operation. Apparently the feds were also impressed with the Complex as a central organizing center in the event of an emergency. Manager Archuleta mentioned existing facilities at the Complex for hospitable, kitchen, and finance as well as available meeting rooms in the event of a regional emergency.
By collaborating with the County, the Town would preserve state training funds of some $100,000 and PSAP subsidies of more than $350,000 every three years for E911 operations. As Commissioner Sanchez of Questa pointed out, his own primo died, at least indirectly because of the Town’s failure to maintain repeater stations, according to the PSAP JPA (Public Service Access Point Joint Powers Agreement).
Controversies
The County has also offered to work with the Town in terms of creating a joint economic district aimed at funding a “regional airport” in lieu of annexation.
If one were to characterize the ongoing controversies between the Town and County, one might say the Town engages in the “politics of fiction” while the County engages in “politics of reality,” i.e. reality based policy and its implementation.
According to Archuleta, the County maintains a 6/12ths reserve in its annual budget. The differences between Town and County couldn’t be starker.
Election as Solution
Indeed by electing Commissioner Barrone Town Mayor, the controversies about “collaboration” will come to an end. But voters will also need to elect two enlightened and serious council candidates to support town and county “collaboration.” Taos Friction believes candidates Fritz Hahn and Judi Cantu represent the necessary complement, who can, along with Barrone, save the town from the incumbents’ misguided policies.
County Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Michael G. Trujillo, Taos County Public Information Officer 575.737.6301/michael.trujillo@taoscounty.org
Wednesday February 5, 2014
Taos County Re-Offers to Town of Taos an Alternative to Annexation
At yesterday’s County Commission meeting, the Board of Taos County Commissioners voted unanimously to again extend an offer to the Town of Taos to regionalize the airport. The Board offered any future GRT’s generated through the construction phase to assist the Town with the match required for the Regional Airport expansion, thus eliminating the need for annexation.
The Board of Commissioners also voted unanimously to instruct staff and the legal department to hire appellate counsel and vigorously defend against the Town’s appeal of the annexation cases to a higher court.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Michael G. Trujillo, Taos County Public Information Officer 575.737.6301/michael.trujillo@taoscounty.org
Wednesday February 5, 2014
PILT FUNDS APPROVED FOR FY 2014
At yesterday’s Taos County Commission Meeting, County Manager Steve Archuleta stated that the county would continue to maintain a 6/12 cash reserves; he also stated that the county will take a conservative approach beginning with the new fiscal year (July 1, 2014) by not budgeting the PILT into the annual operating budget and using it only for onetime costs.
Udall, Heinrich: Farm Bill Clears Congress with Help for NM Counties, Livestock Producers Farm Bill also benefits NM dairies, acequias, chiles, pecans, small producers and farmers’ markets
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich today joined the Senate in passing the Farm Bill, major legislation that will send needed assistance to N.M. farmers and livestock producers, and help almost every N.M. county provide basic public services.
The Farm Bill, which provides agriculture funding and sets policies on everything from crop insurance and disaster aid to nutrition programs for the next five years, passed the Senate 68-32. It passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week by a vote of 251-166. The bill now goes to the president to be signed into law.
Udall and Heinrich fought for several important provisions in the bill for New Mexico, including:
-Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT): The bill includes one year of funding for PILT, which ensures N.M. counties will get funding they count on to help pay for services such as schools, emergency response and roads.
-Livestock disaster assistance: The bill provides continued and retroactive emergency assistance for N.M. producers, many of whom were forced to cut back their herds during the recent years of drought.
-Dairies: The bill levels the playing field for New Mexico’s dairies.
“Farmers and ranchers from Portales to Lordsburg have told me how much they need certainty about prices and assistance to help them recover some of their losses from the drought. While the Farm Bill isn’t perfect, it includes reforms and programs that will strengthen farm communities and that are vital to our state’s overall economy,” Udall said. “This bill extends disaster assistance to ranchers who have struggled with drought and were forced to cut back their herds. It makes our dairies more competitive. It provides incentives for farmers and ranchers to conserve water and natural resources, which will help ensure our agriculture industry is strong for generations to come. And it funds critical rural development grants that help keep public facilities and water infrastructure strong, and that enable New Mexicans in our small rural communities to start businesses and become homeowners.”
“Farmers, dairy producers, and ranchers help drive New Mexico’s economy and have shaped our state’s history as many growers come from families that have cultivated land for generations,” Heinrich said. “The farm bill includes key reforms to American agriculture policy and reauthorizes federal funding for important programs including soil and water conservation, food and nutrition, rural development, and provides a permanent livestock disaster assistance program for producers affected by recent devastating droughts. I’m especially pleased that we prioritize the next generation of farmers and ranchers across a variety of programs through increased program funding and eligibility and help spur innovations in new industries like bio-energy. Furthermore, the increased efficiency and accountability in the farm bill will save taxpayers billions of dollars.”
PILT
Udall and Heinrich helped lead a bipartisan coalition fighting to include PILT funding, which expired at the end of last year with no plan for renewal. PILT compensates counties that host large amounts of federal land, and is a major source of revenue for rural communities. Federal land can’t be developed or taxed, but counties still must provide services to their residents, such as police and fire protection, schools and roads. In 2013, 32 New Mexico counties received $34,692,967. The Farm Bill includes $410 million for PILT, and New Mexico is expected to receive about $34 million in 2014.
“PILT funding in the Farm Bill is a big win for our counties,” Udall said. “It will be a big relief for parents with school children and all residents who rely on emergency services and safe roads. We still need permanent funding, and I will continue to work for long-term funding that New Mexico counties can rely on.”
“Our effort to restore funding for the PILT program in the farm bill is a major victory for rural New Mexico,” Heinrich added.
Overall, the Farm Bill cuts spending by $23 billion, in large part by eliminating farm subsidy payments. In place of traditional subsidies and other programs, the bill creates a new crop insurance program. The bill also consolidates government conservation programs and includes an $8 billion reduction in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over 10 years by closing a loophole tied to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The change will not affect eligibility for SNAP recipients in New Mexico.
More information on programs that will help N.M. farmers and ranchers follows:
Livestock producers – The bill includes almost $7 billion in funding for ranchers through livestock disaster programs, conservation, research, energy, and export promotion, including:
-Retroactive payments for producers who suffered losses after the previous emergency disaster assistance program expired in October 2011.
-Long-term funding for the emergency disaster assistance program. The bill funds the program over 10 years, a significant improvement on previous livestock disaster provisions, which were ad-hoc or temporary. The livestock disaster programs are estimated to provide nearly $4 billion of assistance to producers over the next 10 years.
-A minimum of $4.8 billion over five years in funding through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to help livestock producers implement conservation programs to improve soil, water, plant, animal, air and related resources on agricultural land and nonindustrial private forestland and improve other natural resources.
-Flexibility through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) for increased access to acres for haying and grazing. This will allow producers important access to enrolled CRP lands in special situations, such as drought, when forage is low elsewhere and feed costs are high.
Dairies – The bill replaces the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) and other dairy support programs with a new Dairy Producer Margin Protection Program which allows dairy producers to purchase coverage to protect them when margins, calculated as milk price minus feed costs, fall below a threshold.
Chiles, nuts and other fruits and vegetables – Annual funding for block grants to states for specialty crops – which includes chiles, pecans, apples and other fruits and vegetables – is increased to $72.5 million, from $55 million. New Mexico’s share will increase to almost $600,000 per year.
-Funding for the National Organic Program is increased to $15 million a year, from $11 million. It includes $5 million in mandatory funding for technology upgrades.
-Funding of $57.5 million for the organic certification cost-share program.
Acequias – The bill includes a provision that enables irrigation associations, including acequias, to qualify for grants through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program to increase agricultural water efficiency and further conservation of soil, water and other natural resources. In addition, the top leaders of both House and Senate Agriculture Committees wrote to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to urge his department to improve outreach and coordination with New Mexico’s acequia associations on future funding opportunities.
Rural Development – The bill funds a number of USDA Rural Development programs that are critical for N.M. communities, including rural broadband expansion, housing and business loans, and public infrastructure development. Highlights important to New Mexico include:
-The Rural Energy Savings Program: This new program will provide loans for rural energy efficiency projects. The agreement authorizes $75 million annually through fiscal year 2018 for the program.
-Rural Energy for America Program: $50 million per year to help lower energy bills for producers and rural business owners.
-Rural broadband: $50 million annually, as well as loan authority, through fiscal year 2018.
-Distance learning and telemedicine: $75 million a year through FY2018.
-Value-Added Agricultural Market Development grants: $63 million in mandatory funding.
-Rural Business Opportunity grants: $65 million.
-Rural Cooperative grants: $40 million annually.
-The Intermediary Relending Program: $25 million annually.
-Rural Business Investment grants: $20 million annually.
-Water, Waste Disposal and Wastewater Facility grants: $30 million annually.
-Emergency and Imminent Community Water Assistance grants: $25 million annually.
-The Rural Water and Wastewater Circuit Rider Program: $20 million annually.
-Solid Waste Management grants: $10 million annually.
-Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Program: $20 million per year and makes veterans a priority.
Farmers’ markets – The bill increases mandatory funding for the Farmers’ Market Promotion Program to $30 million from $10 million annually and authorizes $10 million in discretionary funding each fiscal year. This funding is for grants for infrastructure to promote local foods including farmers’ markets and other producer to consumer markets. It gives priority to applications that include projects benefitting underserved communities.